1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to spring clips for holding items, and more particularly, to a new and improved single piece plastic clip having an integrated latching feature.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Spring clips are well known in the art. Such clips are used for holding badges, memos, documents, clothing, and anything else that will fit between the jaws of the clip.
Variations of the spring clip include materials of construction, jaw size, methods of attaching the clip to fixtures, and various methods to accomplish the biasing of the jaws in a closed position. For instance, a typical clip found in any home is constructed of plastic, sized to hold multiple sheets of paper, incorporates a magnet for attachment to a refrigerator door, and utilizes a metal pintle-type spring for biasing the jaws of the clip in a closed position. Most office clips have multiple parts involving wire axis and coil springs that must be compressed manually during assembly operation. Incorporating the biasing mechanism into the body of the clip, as in a flexible metal closure, is also used to permanently bias the jaws in a closed position.
Such clips, and the numerous variations thereto, all require multiple parts making assembly time consuming especially if the variation requires the bending of parts for assembly. Prior art clips made exclusively of plastic, wherein the biasing means is a molded plastic internal clip whose resiliency permits replacement of the conventional spring, is made of plastic whose resiliency is separate than the clip itself. Further, since the biasing means is made separate from the clip, the cost of clip manufacture is increased.